Testing machine for washing machine wringers and the like



J y 10, 1951 A. R. OBERWEGNER 2,560,185

TESTING MAC HINE FOR WASHING MACHINE WRINGERS, AND THE LIKE Fi1ed Aug. 21, 1946 I INVENTOR. I4ZFRD R Oaeawzaum Patented July 1 0, 1951 TE STING; MACHINE FOR WASHING MACHINE WRINGERS AND THE LIKE Alfred It; Oberwegner, Los Angeles, Calif. Application August 21, 1946, Serial No. 691,898

9 Claims.

My invention relates to a machine or apparatus for testing washing machine wringer assemblies, and thelike. V T

1 In conventional washing machines the wringer assemblies may be readily removed and may be separately tested for proper construction and operativeness. These wringer assemblies commonly consist of a wringer head, which is the drive mechanism, and the wringer unit, or the wringer rolls.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a machine or apparatus of this class whereby a washing machine wringer assembly, and particularly the wringer head thereof, or like article, may be readily placed and readily or simultaneously connected with a drive means, whereby the wringer head, or other article, may be easily and quickly tested for proper operation, an important feature being the provision of a machine or apparatus whereby innumerable wringer heads of the same type, or like articles, may be readily placed thereon and tested without further adjustments.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a machine or apparatus of this class, which may be easily and quickly adjusted-to various types and shapes of wringer heads, or

other articles, for testing or otherwise operating the same.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a novel feature in connection with the drive means for easily and quickly adjusting the same for accommodating various types and sizes of the drive means of wringer heads, or other articles.

A further important object of this invention is the provision of a novelly constructed and simple table for supporting washing machine wringer assemblies, and particularly wringer heads, or the like, for accommodating the same to other portions of the machine.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, I have devised a machine or apparatus for testing Washing machine wringer assemblies, or the heads thereof, or the like, and a machine or apparatus of this class having certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon, which form a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of one form of my machine for testing washing machine wringer heads,

showing a washing machine wringer assembly supported thereon in a position to be tested, portions being broken away and in section to facilitate the illustration;

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view thereof in plan, taken through 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view thereof, taken through 4-4 of Fig. 1.

My machine or-apparatus, shown in the drawings, is supported on a frame consisting of a horizontal plate member I and legs extending downwardly therefrom, these legs comprising a single forward leg 2 and two rear legs 3. The plate member I has downwardly extending inwardly threaded bosses I and l into which the upper ends of the legs 2 and 3 are screwed.

A table T is provided at the upper end of the machine, and extends forwardly from the rear side of the machine, for supporting the wringer assembly, designated W, to be tested.

- This table has a horizontal frame 4 provided at the lateral sides of its rear end with downwardly extending bosses 4 into which are secured, by screws 5, the upper ends of rods 6. These rods extend downwardlyinto tubes 1, which are screwably secured at their lower ends into the upper ends of the bosses l The legs 3 are hollow, and within these legs, and within the lower ends of the tubes 1, are compression springs 8 for resiliently supporting the lower ends of the rods 6. The lower ends of the legs 3 have plugs 3 for retaining the springs 8. The springs 8 facilitate the raising of the rods '5, but they are positively secured in vertically adjusted positions by thumb screws H].

The table T has a flanged supporting platform for the wringer assembly, this platform comprising flanged cleats II, at its opposite lateral'sides. These cleats consist of base portions Il forming the supporting platform for the wringer assembly, and lateral or outer upwardly extending flanges li for locating the wringer assembly laterally. The base portions of the cleats rest upon the frame 4 and are adjustably secured thereto by bolts l2. These bolts extend downwardly between lateral members Q of the frame 4, and are held against the under sides of the members 4* by straps 13, these straps being held against the under sides of the members 4 by wing nuts IZ Such mounting and securing of the flanged cleats ll permits the same to be readily adjusted for locating a wringer assembly W of any shape. These flanged cleats may asing plate! by studs -24. These studs are adjust--- able vertically with respect to the supporting plate I and are locked in position by nuts 25. In

the gear box is mounted a worm gear 26, through" the axis of which the shaftZ-l extends; andthisworm gear is driven by a worm 21, which' isdi' rectly connected by a flexible coupling 28 to the shaft of the motor 22.

The shaft 2| is adjustable --axiall-y withinthe hub of the worm gear 26, and is splined or keyed thereto, so that the shaft is rotated in various adjusted vertical positions. thereof. The shaft is normally held in a raised position'by a spring 30- su-rround-ing the shaft; thus holding the shaft'resiliently in raised position. However, the shaft' is locked in a determined vertical position by'a' collar 3! and a set screw 32'. The-collar 311s forced againsttheupper side of the-gear bx'23 by the spring 30 and sec-uredto the-shaft-Zl by the set'screw 32, which'extendsinto the keyway of the shaft 21, when the latter. is forced-downwardly by the drive shaft of the-wringerassembly W.

To prevent the shaft 2l'from being forcedb-ythespring 30. from or above the worm gear 26,-

the'shaft Zl extendsto below a horizontal strap 33 H at the bottom side of the gearbox. A pin 34 is provided atthe lower end of the shaft 2l for engaging the underside of the strap 33 toprevent'the spring from-forcing the shaft upwardly beyond its predetermined limit.

At the upper end ofthe drive shaft 2| is av clutchmember 35, which is arranged normally removably to hold the shank of. an adapter. 36

which extends upwardly in alignment withv the shaft. or key 31 for non-rotatably holding the adapter with respect-to'the shaft A plurality of adapters may be providedfor the.

machine, to accommodate different wringer heads.

The upper ends of these adapters -36.may have. variouslyshaped recesses, keys, or drive-portions. 3t for receiving or connecting the upperend of' the drive shaft with the lower end 38a of the drive means 38 with'whichone end of the wringer assembly W- is normally provided.

Thus, a wringer assembly may be placed upon the table T. with the drive means 38 'inserted' into the' socket, orother means. ofthe adapter 36 in order to rotate or otherwise operate ortest.

the wringer head by means of the motor22.

The table T israised to accommodate certain typesof wringer heads, or the like, and the same are locked in the desired vertical position by the thumb screws Ill; The drive shaft 2| is then adjusted to assume a fixed vertical'positionbymeans of the lock-bo1t '32 Though-I have shown and described a particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts" and portions of my machine as adapted to test or' operate a washing machine wringer assembly, Ildo not wish. to be limited to the same butdesire to'include'in the'scope of my invention :the construction; combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

The lower end of the adapter hasa pin.

I claim:

1. In a testing machine of the class described, a frame, a drive shaft rotatable thereon, a motor on the frame, means for operatively connecting the motor to the drive shaft, and a support mounted on the frame and spaced laterally with respect to the axis of the drive shaft and adjustable on the frame in a direction parallel to the axis of the Y shaft, for supporting' the" article to be tested, said article having a; downwardly extending drive means adapted, when the article issupported on the support, to be aligned with the drive; shaft; thelatter having means for readily-"detachably connecting the shaft to the drive means of said article.

2. Ina testing-machine of the class described, aframe, a drive-shaft rotatable and axially shiftable thereon, a motor on the frame, means for operatively connecting the motor to the drive shaft, and a support mounted on the frame and spaced: laterally; with-respect to" the axis" of the drivetshafta-nd adjustable on the frame in a (11-: rection parallel to the axis of the shaft, for supporting the articlesto-be tested; said article :having a"downwardlyextending drive means adapted, when the, article is supported'on the. support, to be alignedwiththe-drive-shaft; the latter having means for readily detachably connecting the shaft to the drive'means'ofsaid .articlei 3. In a testing machine of the class described, a frame, a-drive shaft rotatable thereon, and resi-liently shiftablein.anlaxialdirection, a motor on the frame, means foroperatively connecting the, motor to the drive shaft, and a support mounted on the frame .and spaced laterally with respect-to the axis of-thedrive shaft and adjustable on the frame in adirection parallel totheaxis; of the shaft, for'supporting the article to be-tested', said varticle having 'a downwardly extending drive means adapted, when the article is supported on. the support, to be aligned with the drive shaft, the latter having means for readily detachably connecting; the shaft" to thedrive meansof said-article:

4. In amachine of the-class-described, a frame, a-verticahdrive shaft rotatable thereon, a motor onthe frame,qmeans for operatively connecting the motor-.tothe drive shaft, and a vertically adjustable table mounted on the frame above'the motor'for supporting a wringer to be tested, said shaft, and a vertically adjustable table mounted on the frame above the. motor for, supporting a wringer'to be tested, said wringer having a drive means at one end, thedrive means being adapted tobe positioned beyond the table and to be aligned with the drive shaft located therebelow, the drive shaft having. means for readily detachably connectingthe shaft to the drive means of the wringer.

6. In a-machine of the class described, a frame, a, vertical drive shaft rotatable thereon and resiliently shiftable in an. axial direction, a motor on the frame-for operating the drive shaft, and a vertically adjustable table mounted on the frame above the motor for supportinga wringer to be tested, said wringer having a drive means at one end, the drive means being adapted to be positioned beyond the table and to be aligned with'the drive shaft located therebelow, the drive shaft having means for readily detachably connecting the shaft to the drive means of the wringer.

7. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a vertical drive shaft rotatable thereon, a motor on the frame, means for operatively connecting the motor to the drive shaft, and a table mourned on the frame above the motor for supporting a wrin'ger to be tested, said wringer having a drive means at one end, the drive means'being adapted to be positioned beyond the table and to be aligned with the drive shaft located therebelow, the drive shaft having means for readily detachably connecting the shaft to the drive means of thewringer, said table having a cleated platform comprising flanged cleats at the opposite sides of its upper face, said cleats having base portions and upwardly extending flanges at their outer portions, said cleats being adjustable laterally and angularly with respect to each other for locating the drive means of the wringer with respect to the drive shaft.

8. In a testing machine of the class described: a frame; a drive shaft rotatable and axially shiftable on the frame; a motor on said frame; a power transmission means operatively connected to the motor and said shaft for rotating the latter, said transmission means including a gear box; a support for supporting the article to be tested, said article having a driven shaft adapted, when the article'is in place on the support, to align with said drive shaft; cleat means on said support engageable with the article for retaining the same in selected positions on the support; connecting means on said drive shaft by which the latter can be readily detachably connected to said driven shaft; and a stop element on said drive shaft engageable against said gear box for limiting axial shifting movement of said drive shaft toward said support.

9. In a testing machine of the class described: arframe; a drive shaft rotatable and axially shiftable on the frame; a motor on said frame; a power transmission means operatively connected to the motor and said shaft for rotating the latter, said transmission means including a gear box; a support for supporting the article to be tested, said article having a driven shaft adapted, when the article is in place on the support, to align with said drive shaft; cleat means on said support engageable with the article for retaining the same in selected positions on the support; connecting means on said drive shaft by which the latter can be readily detachably connected to said driven shaft; a spring surrounding said drive shaft between said gear box and said connecting means for normally urging said drive shaft toward said support; and a stop element on said drive shaft engageable against said gear box for limiting axial shifting movement of said drive shaft toward said support.

ALFRED R. OBERWEGNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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